It was a heart-breaking final half-minute of the section opener and the season finale for the Spring Grove girls. But it was also validation of progress for the No. 11-seeded Lions (10-17). The 44-41 playoff loss at No. 6 seed Rushford-Peterson (12-15) came two months after the Trojans, on the same court, had mauled the Lions by 42 points. In this playoff rematch, Spring Grove shot better, rebounded better and defended better. They also handled the ball better – alas, until the final five minutes – when upset hopes slipped, or were stolen, away.
In that previous holiday encounter, SG had trailed 37-10 at halftime; in this postseason rematch, the Lions led at halftime, 30-22. However, Spring Grove added only 11 points in the second half. After shooting 43% in the first half, the Lions shot only 21% after intermission. R-P scored 22 points in each half.
The Lion lead expanded to 11 points (35-24) early in the second half before the Trojans scored 12 unanswered points to go ahead, 36-35, with 7:03 to play – their first lead since 21-20. But it would last only seconds.
Lion eighth grade point guard Siri Konkel broke the full-court defense and passed to freshman forward Kendal Van Minsel for a fast-break lay-up and a 37-36 Lion lead. Grove would lead by as many as three points and was up by one, 41-40, with a half-minute to play. But an R-P steal and immediate basket put the Trojans ahead, 42-41. An eighth consecutive steal and two Trojan free throws by Ellie Ekern created the final score with 10 seconds remaining. A Lion desperation 3-point attempt was unsuccessful.
Rushford-Peterson defended full-court for most of the second half, and the Lions responded well for a while. But eventually, the pressure proved to be too much for the young Lions. After 12 turnovers during the first 31 minutes of play, Spring Grove had 11 turnovers during the final five minutes.
To their credit, the Trojans applied the defensive pressure without excessive fouling. Both teams shot 71% from the free throw line, but the Lions attempted only seven charity shots (5 for 7). R-P did not attempt many either (10 for 14), but the Trojans had a five-point advantage at the foul line in a three-point victory. SG outscored the home team by two points from the field, 36-34.
The shooting accuracy from the free throw line was not duplicated from the field where SG shot 33% and the Trojans only 26%. But compared to their first meeting, SG shooting was significantly improved and R-P shooting markedly less successful. This could be explained, in part, by fast-break lay-ups. There was a transition turnaround. SG, outscored in fast breaks 15-2 in December, had a 17-8 transition advantage in the playoff.
The Lions were out-rebounded again, 39-to-29, but that was a great improvement over the previous 45-to-18 rebounding result.
And especially critical was the Lions’ zone defense in the rematch being far more effective than their man-to-man defense had been back in late December. Rushford-Peterson scored 17 fewer points.
But one constant for the Trojans was the production of junior forward Kaylee Ruberg, who had a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double in the February rematch after a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double back in December. In her last game in a Spring Grove jersey, senior guard Jordian Leahy had a game-high 17 points while sophomore Katelyn Kraus supplied 11 points plus team-bests with 8 rebounds and 5 blocked shots as well as sharing the steals lead with Addyson McHugh (3 each). Konkel had 6 points and 6 boards.
The Trojans, with a third straight win in the series with Spring Grove, moves on to the Section 1A quarterfinals, where they will face an upset challenge similar to that just experienced by the Lions. Rushford-Peterson will play No. 3 seed Grand Meadow, which trounced the Trojans, 55-35, earlier in the season.
For the mostly-young Grove girls, it was the sixth straight section tournament with a first-round elimination. The Lions have had the lower seed for the past five years with no near upset – until 2022. Because it was so close this time, it was so heart-breaking. But all in attendance, all neutral observers and the R-P players knew Spring Grove was an improved team. After the dramatic finish, the Trojan girls and fans celebrated like they had pulled off an upset.
SG 41, Rushford-Peterson 44
>>SCORE by HALVES
>>SG 30 + 11 = 41
>>RP 22 + 22 = 44
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 33% (17-52), RP 26% (15-58)
2-pt FG: SG 38% (15-40), RP 32% (11-34)
3-pt FG: SG 17% (2-12), RP 17% (4-24)
Free throws: SG 71% (5-7), RP 71% (10-14); Rebounds: SG 29, RP 39; Turnovers: SG 23, RP 21; 2nd Chance points: SG 13, RP 15; Fast break points: SG 17, RP 8; Points in paint: SG 31, RP 28; Greatest lead: SG 11, RP 4; Fouls: SG 14, RP 11
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. *Siri Konkel6P, 6R, 3A, 1S; *Lydia Solum 1R, 2A; Kendal Van Minsel 2P, 2R; *Addyson McHugh 6R, 3S, 1B; Kylie Hammel 2P, 1R, 3A, 2S; *Jordian Leahy 17P, 3R, 2S; Emerson Ingvalson 3P, 2R, 2S; *Katelyn Kraus 11P, 8R, 2A, 3S, 5B
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SEC Girls BB (through section tournament round of 16)
>>EAST DIVISION
Lanesboro* 10-3 SEC (18-8 season)
Houston 9-4 SEC (16-11 season)
Spring Grove 7-6 SEC (10-17 season)
Mabel-Canton 5-8 SEC (8-19 season)
Schaeffer Aca. 0-13 SEC (3-24 season
*division champions
>>WEST DIVISION
Kingsland* 13-0 SEC (18-8 season)
Grand Meadow 11-2 SEC (21-6 season)
Southland 6-7 SEC (8-17 season)
Lyle/Pacelli 2-11 SEC (5-23 season)
LeRoy-Ostrander 2-11 SEC (4-23 season)
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Spring Grove Girls Basketball 2021-’22
>>>10 wins, 17 losses (7-6 SEC, 3rd place)
W at Schaeffer Academy 60-27
L vs. Decorah, Iowa 14-69
L vs. New Hampton, Iowa 38-57
L at Triton 38-70
L at Houston 32-58
W vs. Mabel-Canton 43-38
W vs. Southland 54-45
L St. Charles 39-48
L at Lanesboro* 35-58
>>>Rushford-Peterson Christmas Invite
L at Rushford-Peterson 19-61
L vs. Dover-Eyota 37-77
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 49-42
L at Grand Meadow 21-66
L vs. Houston*55-58
W at LeRoy-Ostrander (non-conference) 58-33
L at Waukon, Iowa 55-71
L vs. Kingsland 34-63
L at Mabel-Canton 30-35
L vs. Lewiston-Altura 38-62
W vs. Lanesboro 44-36
L at Plainview-Elgin-Millville 47-72
L vs. Fillmore Central 36-78
W vs. Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 68-38
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 60-42
W at Southland (non-conference) 55-37
W at Lyle/Pacelli 74-63
Section 1A Tournament #11 seed
L at #6 Rushford-Peterson 41-44
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Spring Grove B-team Girls (12-11)
L vs. Decorah 17-36
W at Triton 40-33
L at Houston 32-40
W vs. Mabel-Canton 34-20
L vs. Southland 28-36
W vs. St. Charles 35-27
W at Lanesboro 28-21
L at Rushford-Peterson 9-44
L vs. Dover-Eyota 9-59
L at Grand Meadow 21-29
W vs. Houston 34-31
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 34-15
L at Waukon 19-47
L vs. Kingsland 20-24
W vs. Mabel-Canton 32-29
L vs. Lewiston-Altura 25-48
W vs. Lanesboro 29-22
L at Plainview-Elgin-Millville 18-48
L vs. Fillmore Central 28-33
W vs. Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 38-26
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 41-18
W at Southland 38-28
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 44-20
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Spring Grove 8th Grade Girls (1-8)
L vs. Lansing Kee 18-46
L at Houston 25-36
L at South Winneshiek 19-23
L at Lanesboro 25-26
L vs. Houston 18-36
L vs. Kingsland 9-33
W vs. Lanesboro 14-12
L at P-E-M 21-41
L vs. Fillmore Central 15-24
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Spring Grove 7th Grade Girls (11-2)
L vs. Lansing Kee 22-31
W at Houston 46-18
W at South Winneshiek 25-13
W at Lanesboro 25-15
W at Grand Meadow 33-3
W vs. Houston 36-14
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 45-8
W vs. Kingsland 48-6
W vs. Lanesboro 35-11
L at P-E-M 27-32
W vs. Fillmore Central 26-10
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 43-7
W vs. Caledonia 34-23